of record. The result proved highly gratifying to both parties; Captain Rathborne being continued in the command of the Santa Margaritta, and his worthy brother-officer soon after compensated for the spontaneous sacrifice he had made, by an appointment to a frigate of superior class[1].
The Santa Margaritta was subsequently employed on the Channel, Lisbon, West India, and Irish stations; but being at length completely decayed, was put out of commission in Dec. 1807. Captain Rathborne was soon after appointed to the command of the Essex Sea Fencibles; and, in 1809, to regulate the Impress service at Shields, Sunderland, and Newcastle. He is at present charged with the superintendence of the ships in ordinary at Chatham. His nomination to be a C.B. took place on the establishment of that class of the Order, in 1815. A pension for the loss of his eye was granted to him May 19, 1810, and has since been augmented to 300l. per annum.
Captain Rathborne married, in 1805, the youngest daughter of John French, Esq., late of Loughrea, co. Galway. His sister was the mother of John Wilson Croker, Esq., Secretary to the Admiralty, and M.P. for Bodmin, in Cornwall.
Agent.– ___
HENRY MATSON, Esq
[Post-Captain of 1802.]
This officer was born at Sandwich, co. Kent; and entered the naval service, in 1790, as a Midshipman on board the Arrogant, of 74 guns, commanded by his maternal uncle the late Captain John Harvey, whose heroic conduct on the memorable 1st June, 1794, we have already noticed at p. 613 of our first volume.
From the Arrogant Mr. Matson was very soon removed into the Rose of 28 guns; in which ship, and the Hussar frigate, he completed his probationary term of service on the Halifax station, where he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the Rover, a Bermuda built sloop of war, about the month of June, 1796.
